Assessment of cadmium and lead contamination in rice farming soils and rice (Oryza sativa L.) from Guayas province in Ecuador.

Rice is the world's most consumed and in-demand grain. Ecuador is one of the main rice-consuming countries in Latin America, with an average per capita consumption of 53.2 kg per year.

Arsenic in rice agrosystems (water, soil and rice plants) in Guayas and Los Ríos provinces, Ecuador.

Geogenic arsenic (As) can accumulate and reach high concentrations in rice grains, thus representing a potential threat to human health. Ecuador is one of the main consumers of rice in South America. However, there is no information available about the concentrations of As in rice agrosystems, although some water bodies are known to contain high levels of the element.